Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar’s final clash was an insane spectacle befitting their legendary rivalry. After a utterly banal Last Man Standing match – in which Theory hit a failed cash-in, Paul Heyman drove F5 through a table and the entire ring was scooped up by a giant tractor – Reigns buried Lesnar under the announcer’s table and the Steel steps to be the last man standing and retain his WWE Universal Championship.
Halfway through Lesnar’s entrance, he walked up the ramp. He put on his flannel and cowboy hat and then got on a huge tractor, which he drove to the ring. Lesnar introduced himself from atop the tractor and began the match by jumping on top of Reigns. Incredible scenes.
Lesnar and Reigns immediately started fighting outside, making their way through the crowd and onto part of the stadium’s stage. Heading back to the ring, Lesnar set up a table where Reigns Samoan dropped him after a distraction from Paul Heyman. This cut Lesnar’s back, which began to bleed. Reigns then set up another table and hit Lesnar through with a Uranage.
In the ring, Reigns hit two Superman punches and a big spear – the first of many spears of the night – but that didn’t keep Lesnar down for long. Lesnar made his comeback, which after a couple of hard hitting shots outside, involved putting Reigns in the tractor’s front loader and throwing him in the ring. Again: unbelievable. After a few German suplexes, Lesnar lands an F5 but Reigns gets up on a 9.
Lesnar tried another F5, but Reigns countered into a guillotine. Lesnar switched himself off and locked in a guillotine of his own, from which Reigns momentarily passed out. Lesnar got another 9 count.
In perhaps the greatest moment of their illustrious feud, Lesnar got back in the tractor and repeatedly rammed it into the ring. He then used the tractor to lift the ring up, causing Reigns to fall down like the ring was a steep chute. It was wonderful.
The Usos scored from ringside, but Lesnar quickly took out both of them with ringside belly to belly suplexes. Paul Heyman interfered again so Lesnar F5 led him through a bloody table. Reigns then blitzed a distracted Lesnar with a spear.
Theory’s music started and he ran to the ring, knocking out Reigns with Money in the Bank’s briefcase. However, before he could officially redeem it, Lesnar F5 put him on the briefcase. The Usos then clocked Lesnar with a double superkick and Reigns landed a big spear for another 9 count. Reigns grabbed Theory’s briefcase and smashed Lesnar with it for another 9. Reigns snagged the WWE Championship and smashed Lesnar with it for another 9 count.
Eventually, Reigns gets the Universal Championship, beating Lesnar with it. Then, while the referee is still counting, he and the Usos pile the debris of the announcer’s table and steel steps onto Lesnar. Buried under it all, Lesnar couldn’t count.
It made no sense that the ref would keep counting while Reigns and the Usos kept dumping stuff on Lesnar, but hey, somehow The Beast has to stay down. Reigns did a fantastic job in that final phase – every time he took Lesnar down he sold like he was scared Lesnar would get back up. Great drama, great game.
Rating: 4.75 stars. The WrestleMania 38 Main Event match between Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar was underwhelming. So it’s good that these two have this match at SummerSlam. It is arguably their best and certainly the most spectacular.
Reigns and Lesnar have had an incredible rivalry over the past seven years – the best that can be said about this match is that it was a fitting ending to what will undoubtedly be one of the most iconic WWE rivalries of all time.